The Infernal Gauntlet
by Razell
Summary: What if Mephisto had gotten his claws on The Infinity Gauntlet?


The Infernal Gauntlet

As the Infinity Gauntlet fell from Thanos' beefy hand, a general rush ensued to recover the mystical device before he could regain his wits. Beings both mortal and cosmic vied for the all-powerful artifact.

Clawed fingers closed around the Gauntlet, which changed to accommodate the slender, crimson hand of its new bearer. The universe recoiled in horror as Mephisto sneered in malicious triumph.

The _Devil_ had the Infinity Gauntlet.

And there would be Hell to pay.

The tall, elegant demon turned toward a shocked Thanos. "Ah, 'Lord' Thanos. I owe you much." He extended a slender arm and blasted the mad titan, forcing him to his knees, "A debt I will most certainly repay with many, _many_ long years in Hell." Thanos' flesh shriveled, his skin wrinkled and creased as the _Time Gem_ dragged him into decrepitude. ". . . Damn. . . You. . ." Thanos rasped painfully. Mephisto smirked in response, "You have no right to complain, 'Lord' Thanos. Is not this how you treated The Runner when you stole his Gem? Besides, I cannot have you at full power, tearing apart Hell. . ." He blasted Thanos again, sending him screaming into Hell.

His eyes glowing with power, Mephisto seemed to consider the situation for a moment. "Why limit myself to Hell, when all _Infinity_ is my plaything?" He lashed out again, consuming Terraxia in flames. He blasted back the self-righteous 'heroes' who had shaken off their horror and were rushing to steal _his_ Gauntlet. They were mere insects. The cosmic entities, however, posed a slight threat, even with his enhanced powers. He glanced at Mistress Death, object of Thanos' affections and the physical embodiment of the concept of_ Death_ itself. He almost fancied he saw fear in her skeletal features.

Oh well, she was irrelevant to him, now.

"Release the Gauntlet, demon!" Galactus commanded, pompous fool that he was. This time his words carried no weight. This time Mephisto held the upper hand. The Gauntlet, when used properly, shielded him from any attack. Even The Devourer of Worlds could not touch him. "I owe you much as well, Galan. You tried to _devour_ my precious realm. Such a rude guest you were! It is high time you learned a little humility." He struck out with the _Mind Gem_, and Galactus suddenly went mad, blindly attacking his allies as Mephisto teleported away, leaving only his mocking laughter behind.

He wouldn't waste time and energy fighting fools. He had too much work to do.

Mephisto sat upon his throne and marveled at the power that was now his. All locked within these beautiful Gems. _Time, Space, Reality, Mind, Power_ and, most importantly, _Soul_. With it he could touch even the purest, most innocent of souls. No one was above corruption. He gently caressed the _Soul Gem_.

_Together we will accomplish great things. _

The Elders of The Universe had used the Gems as mere toys, and Thanos had squandered their power in his futile, idiotic quest to win Death's cold heart. Mephisto was interested in neither games nor love. He craved _souls _and _power_. He knew the Gem's true powers and how to harness them.

_Let the universe tremble. . ._

He considered The Elders of The Universe. Most were harmless to him. The Grandmaster, however, had literally cheated Death herself, causing her to ban all Elders from her realm, _forever_. A foolish, short-sighted act that he would regret for all eternity. Still, he was a fiendishly clever being who would have to be dealt with. He need also deal with Astronomer, architect of their mad plan to destroy Galactus and become gods. Another being with too much intelligence and not enough wisdom. He laughed at their ignorance. They had possessed the power to have defeated Galactus even without the Gems, but had been too blind to see it. _The_ _Runestaff_, held by The Elder known as The Possessor. A mystical artifact that could entrap, control, steal and even transpossess countless souls. Mephisto frowned at the thought. Such power belonged in _his_ hands, not those of some dottering old scholar.

Kamo Tharnn, Possessor of The Runestaff, was completely blind in the physical sense, but he had other senses. Senses beyond those of mortal beings which allowed him to know what was happening even in the farthest corners of the universe. Including Hell. And he knew that Mephisto was coming to steal his precious Runestaff.

Mephisto was met with a blast from the Runestaff that would have felled Galactus himself. He barely felt it. "That is a very rude welcome, Elder." He smiled wickedly, "Give me the staff, and I may. . ." He examined his claws distractedly, ". . . spare you the agony of defeat." The Possessor struck out again, "The Runestaff is _mine_! I am _The Possessor of The Runestaff_!" "After you _murdered_ your colleague to claim it." Mephisto's tone was both mocking and menacing, "You may possess The Runestaff, but _I_ have possessed your _soul_ for a very long time." The _Time Gem_ froze the horrified Elder, and Mephisto snatched the staff from his hands. "Now I own you _both_." He teleported away. Kamo Tharnn screamed when he realized that his most precious possession had been stolen from him. Howling in rage and despair he fell to the ground and wept bitterly.

Mephisto examined the mystical Runestaff. It was long, with the head of a roaring lion carved atop it. The Possessor had no real idea how to use the artifact he had committed murder to obtain. That ignorance had cost him both his sight and his sanity. But Mephisto knew it well. The enchanted wood felt warm and alive in his clawed hands. The Runestaff, with its ability to manipulate and imprison souls, combined with the _Soul Gem_, the ultimate power over every soul in the universe. No being had ever held such power. At a thought he reached out and touched the pure soul of Norrin Radd, and twisted the Silver Surfer to his will. Mephisto cackled wickedly. He would put these gifts to _great_ use indeed.

Mephisto knew that his enemies, or what remained of them, were even now plotting against him. He was unconcerned. He needed Death, Lord Chaos and Sire Hate, but that meant he would have to endure Eternity, Master Order and Mistress Love. One could not exist without the other. He would have to bring them to heel using the Gauntlet. Impress upon them in their proper place in _his_ universe. Adam Warlock, The In-Betweener, The Stranger, Quasar, and various powerful sorcerers would have to be destroyed. And the now-mad Galactus was blindly wreaking havoc across the universe. While Mephisto appreciated the fear he caused he could not allow The Devourer of Worlds to destroy his entire kingdom. He reached out with the Runestaff, augmented by the _Soul Gem,_ and snared Galactus' soul, draining it into his own body. Devouring the Devourer of Worlds. Galactus' massive form, now an empty husk, floated lifelessly amidst the rubble and debris of dead worlds.

Mephisto turned his attention to his rivals for the title of '_Satan_'. First he summoned his most hated nemesis, _Satannish_. He laughed sadistically as the he forced his fellow demon to grovel at his feet in agony, begging for mercy, until he bored of the sport and cast him into the deepest bowels of Hell. Soon he would call his other rivals, including his treacherous son Blackheart. Even _Lucifer_ himself would fall before his power. He would show them that _he_ alone ruled Hell.

But for now. . .

Hell was far too _small_ for his needs. It would have to be expanded. On a _universal_ scale. Mephisto watched with glee as his demonic armies swept into the mortal world, sowing hopelessness, horror and despair. The hidden demons of a thousand million worlds awoke and grew strong. On Earth, Mount Wundagore exploded and the terrible Elder Demon Cthon walked free, spreading horror, death and undeath in his wake.

With The_ Infernal_ Gauntlet, the universe was Mephisto's for the taking.

He leaned back upon his throne and smiled.

All was as it should be.

_The End_.

I just wondered what would have happened had Mephisto claimed the Infinity Gauntlet. This is my idea.

Could The Runestaff harm Galactus? I don't know. For the purposes of this story, yes. It stored the souls of the population of an entire planet for eons, then drove them into the Possessor's body. It is certainly something Mephisto would want for that power alone.


End file.
